


Like Breathing Was Easy

by platonicharmonics



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Gen, Headaches & Migraines, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Not Season/Series 03 Compliant, Not Season/Series 04 Compliant, Post-Season/Series 02
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-26
Updated: 2017-10-26
Packaged: 2019-01-23 06:55:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12501432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/platonicharmonics/pseuds/platonicharmonics
Summary: After an intense battle, Matt gets ambushed by a migraine. He and Shiro find a quiet moment to themselves.





	Like Breathing Was Easy

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Agapostemon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Agapostemon/gifts).



> A gift for my wonderful friend Deyan (@Agapostemon), who requested Matt being comforted via cuddles during a migraine - a prompt which was an absolute delight to write!
> 
> Note: this fic takes place in a 'verse where Seasons 3+ never happened, and it's... _somewhere_ down the line from Season 2.
> 
> Also note: feel free to interpret this as romantic or platonic; whichever you prefer ♥

With all due respect to the Castle of Lions and how much of a wondrous technological marvel it was, Matt… kind of hated it.

It wasn’t just that he’d spent the better part of two years in dim, dark places that ranged from Galra prison ships to rural rebel bases. It was the degree to which the Castle’s harsh white lights seemed to violently beam down and illuminate everything and everyone from all directions. It left him feeling twitchy and weirdly exposed – and currently, they were also spearing through his eyeballs and shooting around the insides of his skull before trying to jackhammer back out through his left temple.

The Paladins were running across the Lion hangar to each other, screeching and whooping and hollering to celebrate a grueling mission well done, jumping all over each other. Each noise they made echoed and reverberated around the cavernous room in giant waves that went straight to the pounding jackhammer in his skull. He sagged against the Green Lion’s paw and closed his eyes, gravely wondering if Pidge’s ship would eat him if he threw up on her. He knew his sister definitely would.

“Matt? You okay?”

Matt flinched. “No.”

He felt Shiro’s shadow fall over his face and swayed forward slightly, seeking more of it. “Migraine? Or something else?” Shiro whispered. It was punctuated by a scream from Lance and a shriek of laughter from Keith. Matt buried his face into Shiro’s chestplate and mimed a gun firing into his temple, then twirled his finger around his ear. Shiro’s silent puff of laughter disturbed a wisp of his hair as one of his friend’s hands came up to cradle the back of his head. He felt Shiro’s nose brush against his good temple for a moment before he gently prompted, “I gotcha. C’mon, let’s get you out of here.”

Matt could only nod in agreement as Shiro ensconced him in one arm and escorted him out of the nearest exit, the kids completely oblivious as Coran and Allura ran in to join the pandemonium.

Time and their surroundings passed in a hazy fog until they were both safely inside a dark room. Shiro closed the door behind them with a soft _whoosh_ , eliminating the last of the light, allowing Matt to finally open his eyes and take a full breath. After blinking a few times, the room swam into focus.

“Your room?” Matt prompted, voice worn and reedy.

“I know it’s not… much.” Shiro was standing by the door, rubbing his shoulder and frowning at the bare walls and plain bed, made clean and crisp with military precision. “Honestly, I’m hardly ever in here. You can rest as long as you want.”

“Would you mind-” Matt choked on his voice and sucked in his cheeks the moment he noticed Shiro’s free hand rapidly fidgeting against his side.

Shiro came closer and made a soft noise of concern. “Is something wrong? I understand if this is too… I’m sure Pidge would share her room with you if you want. I know it’s more cozy and lived-in, I can let you in-”

“No, it’s just-” Matt fought off a wave of dizziness and braced himself on Shiro. He sagged with a heavy sigh. “I… don’t… want to keep you from the others.”

“It’s fine.”

“No, really. You guys had a good fight out there, you should join the fun.”

“ _You’re_ fun,” Shiro countered.

Matt smacked his stomach. “Not with a migraine I’m not. _Silly_.” He saw Shiro’s tongue stick out in the corner of his vision, so he looked up and stuck his back.

Shiro immediately threw up a pointed finger. “ _Ah-ah_ , see? That was fun. You just proved yourself wrong. _Silly_.”

A giggle pealed out of his chest and split his head open, making it fizzle into a whimper as he cradled his eyes. “ _Don’t make me laugh_ ,” he whined, very quietly.

Shiro rubbed a soothing hand up and down his back in slow circles, expression falling. “Sorry. If you want to be alone, that’s okay. I’ll get out of your hair and let you rest. Do you want me to show you how to work the bath before I go?”

“I’d rather cuddle,” he murmured.

Shiro blinked.

Matt peeked through his fingers to look at Shiro’s face. “I mean-!”

“We can do that.”

Matt opened his mouth to argue, but was taken aback by the look on Shiro’s face. The corners of his eyes were crinkled slightly, his eyebrows were curved gently upward, and he was blessed with one of his rare toothy smiles.

“You don’t _have_ to,” was all Matt could manage.

Shiro pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead. “I want to,” he promised, shucking off his gauntlets and gloves and turning towards his room’s closet. “Besides, I’m… kind of relieved, actually. It was really intense out there and I’m feeling kind of… keyed up and raw. They can have their fun without me twitching in the corner.”

In a bit of a daze, Matt sat heavily on the bed and began shedding his armor. He wanted to say something – thank him, or comfort him, or make a joke, but the beam of pain in his head was sponging up all the Good Words and what came out was “Mmrph.”

A breathy chuckle from somewhere in the darkness. “You need help over there?”

Matt reached up and made grabby-hands. “ _Mmrph_.”

The padding of bare feet came closer until Shiro’s dark bulk was curled over him and slightly shaky hands helped him shed his cloak, his armor pieces, his boots, and his bulky pants. Shiro shoved the pile out of the way with his foot and sat down beside him, pulling him into his arms. Matt leaned into his chest and melted into putty.

After about a minute of listening to Shiro’s shallow breathing, Matt frowned and knocked on the clenched muscles of Shiro’s stomach. “This isn’t gonna work.”

Shiro miraculously tensed even further. “Oh.” He began to pull away.

Matt made a sharp noise of disapproval and clung on, resulting in him being dragged an inch or two across the bed. “No, no, not the cuddling, that’s fine.”

He could just _see_ Shiro’s confused pout in his mind. “Oh?”

Matt poked some more of Shiro’s muscles, which earned him the reward of Shiro convulsing slightly and wheezing. “I want to cuddle with my friend, not a washboard.”

“…Oh.”

Shiro then proceeded to not relax.

Matt opened his eyes and straightened up enough to look up at Shiro’s face, who was, indeed, pouting. A soft huff came from Matt at the sight, before he started tugging on Shiro towards the mattress. “C’mere.” Shiro slowly sank down with him like a felled oak tree until they were lying down; Matt rolled until they were facing each other, then worked his arms around Shiro’s sides and tucked his head against his chin, immediately slumping back into putty. He took a deep breath, then slowly let it out.

They stayed like that for a little while, with Matt riding out his migraine and taking deep breaths while Shiro stroked his thumbs across his back and side. Gradually, Shiro’s breaths slowed and deepened, syncing to Matt’s. As it did so, Shiro’s muscles also unwound, unkinking and going limp by degrees, until finally the both of them were puddles.

Shiro pulled Matt close enough to reach around and detach his prosthetic, then delicately hanged it off the side of the bed and let go. The still sizeable _thud_ made Matt wince, but Shiro was quick to resituate his arm underneath him and sling a leg over his ankles, tucking his nose into his hair with a content sigh. Matt grinned.

“…You’re not gonna fall ‘sleep on me, are you?” he murmured.

Shiro’s ribs twitched with a suppressed chuckle. “I know how bad of an idea that would be. No worries.”

“Good. ‘Cause your snoring would kill me n’ then I’d kill you.”

Shiro smirked, then pressed a soft kiss to the top of his head. “I’m fine right here.” 

Matt hummed in agreement and snuggled closer.


End file.
